


Stars of Lovingness

by mysticanni



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas, Dark Sky Park, F/M, Female Brian May, Romantic Fluff, Star Gazing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:07:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27997989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mysticanni/pseuds/mysticanni
Summary: John has carefully planned a romantic winter break to Vienna with Brianna.  So when his plans fall through and he has to settle for taking her to a log cabin in Scotland instead he doesn't expect too much from the trip.Will he be pleasantly surprised?
Relationships: John Deacon/Brian May
Comments: 6
Kudos: 10
Collections: The Clog Factory Happy Holidays Fic Exchange





	Stars of Lovingness

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Jinkxedparty](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jinkxedparty/gifts).



> For the lovely @jinkxedparty - happy holidays!

John had researched Vienna. He had read hundreds, possibly thousands, of visitor reviews of cafes and restaurants and tourist attractions. He had identified the best places to take Brianna to treat her to the very best hot chocolate or the very best selection of scrumptious cakes or the ultimate mulled wine. He had poured over actual paper maps of the city centre (he was aware he was sometimes considered old-fashioned but he liked a proper map) as well as scrutinising online maps that allowed him to zoom in on specific areas in a dizzying rush (he wasn’t completely old-fashioned and he liked useful things). 

John had researched Vienna. John had planned routes. John had been creating itineraries in his head for weeks now.

So when the phone call from Freddie came it was most unwelcome. 

“What do you mean you’ve double booked your apartment?” John seethed. “You agreed months ago that I could take Brianna to your Viennese apartment for a long weekend at the start of December. You promised, Freddie!”

“Well, darling, I’m terribly sorry, but...Double booked is perhaps the wrong way to put it...What has happened is...Well...” Freddie sighed.

John heard a short scuffle on the other end of the line and suddenly found himself speaking to Roger. “Deaky,” Roger greeted him enthusiastically, as if his partner had not just ruined John’s day. Ruined his week – his year, even. Roger sounded perky and happy. John experienced a little surge of loathing. “What Freddie is trying to say is that his mother has decided she wants to go the Christmas market in Vienna this weekend and told him she would be using his apartment. He can’t cancel his mum, Deaks.”

John supposed not but, “I have flights booked! Brianna is expecting a long weekend in Vienna!” he protested furiously. 

“When are we going to meet the lovely Brianna?” Roger wondered, “You can’t keep her to yourself forever,” he added. 

John thought he might try. Brianna was pure and lovely and sometimes seemed to be floating along on a slightly different plane of existence from everyone else. John gave a little shudder when he thought of her being subjected to an interrogation by Freddie and Roger. 

Freddie seemed to uncannily sense this train of thought, yelling, “We’d be on our best behaviour, dear!” in the background. 

“Speak for yourself,” Roger laughed, “Don’t worry, John, I have the perfect solution to your romantic winter weekend dilemma!”

John reflected that if he was going to have to rely on some half-baked plan of Roger’s he should be very worried indeed. But he didn’t seem to have much choice.

*

John had taken Brianna out to lunch to explain that there had been a change of plan. The reason according to John seemed to be that Freddie was an idiot. “But it turns out that Roger, Freddie’s partner, has a place in Scotland and has offered us that.” John sipped his coffee. “It sounds oddly rural for Roger – it’s a log cabin apparently. It sounds appropriately winter-breakish though,” he smiled.

Brianna could tell that he was anxious. She was slightly disappointed that she was no longer going to see Vienna but at least they had an alternative. “That sounds lovely,” she told John. “Freddie’s the fashion designer, isn’t he? And Roger is the model?” John nodded. He had such glamorous friends. “When am I going to meet them?” she wondered, trying to keep her tone light. Did John think she wasn’t fashionable enough or glamorous enough for them?

“Never,” John laughed. “They’re both idiots,” he added. 

“How are we going to get there?” Brianna wondered, deciding it might be best to change the subject. 

“Roger’s letting me borrow his car,” John explained.

*

John was pleasantly surprised to find that Roger had done as he had promised and cleaned the car thoroughly inside and out. The tank was full and he had programmed the sat-nav with directions. He had told John he had programmed directions to what he described as “nice places to stop on the way – not ghastly motorway service stations”. 

Every now and then as they drove north John treated himself to a gentle squeeze of Brianna’s leg – tantalisingly close to him as she sat in the passenger seat. It was a cold but sunny day and he was starting to feel hopeful about the trip. At the very least it would be nice to have a few days away from the hustle and bustle of London. And Brianna had been very accommodating about the change of plans.

*

Brianna relaxed in the warm interior of the car and watched the countryside go by bathed in weak winter sunshine. She sometimes turned her gaze to John’s strong capable hands on the wheel and a faint flush would cover her cheeks as she contemplated those hands touching her.

It might not have the same glamour as a flight to Vienna but she considered the frazzle of airports and the lack of leg-room on planes and thought that perhaps this was better. And it looked like they were going to get reasonable weather for their trip – cold but dry – although if their log cabin was cosy perhaps they wouldn’t be out much. She felt a little thrill of anticipation. 

The car radio was playing Christmas songs and they sang along. The sat-nav cut into a rendition of “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” to tell them to leave the motorway at the next exit. The light was fading rapidly now – they’d been driving for most of the day. 

They came to a roundabout and Brianna noticed a sign for Craobh Forest Park. She realised she hadn’t asked exactly where Roger’s cabin was. John took the turn that would lead eventually to the Forest Park. “Um...Exactly where is this place?” she asked. She tried not to get her hopes up. 

“It’s in the Forest Park,” John told her. “Rog says he bought it for when he wanted peace and solitude which I can’t see him wanting most of the time to be honest.”

“Craobh Forest Park?” Brianna clarified although surely there wasn’t another Forest Park in this area.

*

She said Craobh the way Roger had said it – ‘croov to rhyme with groove’ so she was clearly familiar with it. Was that a good thing or a bad thing? “Yes,” John confirmed. 

“Oh!” she gasped, sounding delighted – so it must be a good thing, “I’ve always wanted to come here!” she exclaimed. “It’s a dark sky park!” she added as if that would explain everything. 

“A dark sky park?” John echoed. 

“Where there’s no light pollution,” Brianna explained. “So you can see the stars better.”

The lingering low-level irritation John had been harbouring towards Freddie and Roger vanished. He smiled as he listened to Brianna enthusiastically telling him that this was a gold-tier park – John gathered this was good for star-gazers.

The light was almost gone now and they were driving through a heavily wooded area – John supposed they were now properly in the forest. They glimpsed a few log cabins through the trees but they seemed to be well spaced out. John thought that it was certainly private.

The sat-nav instructed them to turn onto a track that led them to their little log cabin which was actually bigger than expected. Roger had said the cleaner would leave some food supplies for them although John hadn’t been sure what they would receive so he had packed a box of supplies and taken it with them in the car. He was pleasantly surprised to find that the fridge and cupboards were well stocked and that someone, presumably also the cleaner, had lit a log fire for them which was burning cheerfully and had warmed up the cabin.

“This is lovely,” Brianna commented happily. She peeked in the fridge and withdrew a bottle of champagne. “Shall we?”

*

After dinner they wrapped up warm and ventured outside. John curved his arm around Brianna’s waist, thinking how cute she looked in her red duffle coat with her dark curls escaping from underneath her woolly hat. It was a frosty night. The trees seemed to glisten.

Brianna gasped and John followed her gaze and gasped too. The sky seemed vast – an endless black velvet cloth with infinite glittering diamonds displayed upon it – an enormous expanse of sky decorated with stars twinkling above them. Words seemed completely inadequate. John had never seen anything like it.

“How beautiful,” Brianna breathed, pressing her lips to John. “Thank you so much for bringing me here!”

Despite their exhaustion after the long drive the breathtaking beauty of the starry night sky seemed to energise them and they walked long into the night, stopping often to stare upwards in wonder. 

The following day they made a little nest of rugs and cushions in front of the fire, alternately dozing or exploring each other’s bodies – savouring the warmth and cosiness of the cabin. 

The following night they brought mulled wine in insulated coffee ‘keep-cups’ with them and sipped their drinks as they strolled gazing up and marvelling at the stars. Brianna pointed out constellations to John, her eyes shining so brightly they were like stars themselves. “I feel like this is cleansing my soul,” Brianna said, then laughed a little self-consciously. “I’m not even sure what I mean by that.”

“I think I understand,” John told her, “It’s like being back in time – this is how our ancestors would have experienced the night sky – it’s like pressing the re-set button. Seeing the night sky and the stars like this in all their majesty – it feels important – like you’ll never look at anything quite the same way again.” He sighed. “I don’t really know how to articulate it...”

“I know what you mean,” Brianna said softly. “What we are seeing is awesome and spectacular and in a way it’s humbling.”

He undressed her slowly back in the cabin – peeling off her warm layers of clothing – gently caressing her. “You’re so beautiful,” he told her. “You’re gorgeous.” 

*

On their last night Brianna threw her arms wide and tipped her head back gazing at the splendour of the night sky. “These are the best Christmas lights ever!” she laughed.

**Author's Note:**

> Craobh Forest Park is invented (craobh means branch in Gaelic). 
> 
> Scotland does have a dark sky park - Galloway Forest Park. I've never been there but I'm told it's amazing. :)


End file.
